Sunday, January 6, 2019

Business owner overcomes hardship to open new store - WOWT

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Katie Danger was at her wits end nearly four years ago due to a terrible living situation when 6 News did a story that ended up helping her get out of her lease.

She has come a long way from that point in her life. On Saturday, Danger opened up her own business here in Omaha.

"Oh my God. I was living in crap slumlord apartment that had mold and water coming from the ceilings, and now I'm able to own and operate my own store," she said at the opening.

In the spring o f 2016, Danger, Katie Schmitz at the time, showed 6 News reporters the apartment she was trying to get out of.

"They had some mold for years that they wouldn't take care of and water leaking from my roof and everything. It just really sucked," she recalled.

Saturday marked the opening of a flagship store in west Omaha to compliment Danger's already successful online business.

Red H Nutrition is an all-natural line of nutritional supplements that she developed herself. Danger combined her education in health sciences, her experience as a CrossFit athlete and a whole lot of support to get it all off the ground.

"There's no way any of this would exist if it wasn't for my spouse, my family, the CrossFit community and now the triathlon community in Nebraska. It's so fun to be able to help people and just share what you love to help people live and do what they love better," she said.

One of Danger's biggest supporters has been her wife, Sami Herbster. The two met when she was living at the infamous apartment.

"I knew that when you're in a place like that, that there are so many possible opportunities that are better than that, so I knew it was pushing us in a way that we were going to go far from anything like that again," Herbster said.

Danger had a message for anyone who is going through a hard time.

"You have to believe in your 'why.' And my personal why was I just want to help people live better. Why won't anyone listen to me? I just want to help people live better. So, whatever your why is, just remember it. And if you keep living by it, you can have a million dollars or $1 in your pocket, it will get you where you need to go," she said.